Method of and apparatus for filling containers

ABSTRACT

Containers are filled with a particulate product at a filling station and spillage of the produce is collected, conveyed to a point upstream from the filling station, and directed to flow towards the open ends of empty containers at a rate insufficient to fill a single container before that container is conveyed out of range for filling with spillage.

United States- Patent Samuel A. Mencacci Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium June20, 1968 Jan. 19, 1971 International Machinery Corporation St.Niklaas-Waas, Belgium a Belgian Corporation.

Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FORFILLING CONTAINERS 7 Claims,6Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 141/11, 141/78, 141/124,l41/l53, 141/192 lnt.Cl B65b l/20FieldotSeai-ch 141/1, 11,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,429,864 10/1947 Alnord222/163X 3,217,760 11/1965 Eisenberg.... l4l/78X 3,298,404 l/l967Eisenberg 141/] Primary Examiner-Herbert F. Ross Att0rneys-F. W.Anderson and C. E. Tripp ABSTRACT: Containers are filled with aparticulate product at a filling station and spillage of the produce iscollected, conveyed to a point upstream from the filling station, anddirected to flow towardsthe open ends of empty containers at a rateinsufficient to fill a single container before that container isconveyed out of range for filling with spillage.

PATENTED m1 9 m1 SHEET 1 BF 4 INVENTOR- SAMUEL A. MENOACCI ATTORNEYSPATENIED JAN 1 9 I97! snmzora INVENTOR. SAMUEL A. MENOAOCI ATTORNEYSPATENTF-n M19191: I 4 3556372 sum u or 4 INVENTOR. 4 SAMUEL A. MENGA OGIBY 3? Q43 F ATTORNEYS EFIE-QE METHOD or AND APPARATUS son FILLINGCONTAINERS BACKGROUND-OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention,

This invention pertains to automatically filling containers with aparticulate product such as cut string beans, diced vegetables or slicedpickles. Spillage of the particulate product is collected downstreamfrom a main filling station and conveyed upstream thereof to where it isfed into empty containers at a rate that allows only a portion of thecontainer to be filled.

2. Description of the Prior Art Filling machines are known which collectand return spillage to a main hopper and there the spillage iscommingled with a fresh supply of particulate product. Problems havebeen encountered, withsuch machines since it is possible for particlesto spill and be recycled several times before beingcarried away in acontainer. Such recycling causes abrasive damage to the particles anddelays further processing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Spillage results from overfilling containersand to prevent multiple recycling of the spillage, .it is necessary toretain original spillage in subsequent containers when it is fedthereto. By collecting and conveying the spillage 'from downstream of afilling station to a point upstream thereof, and directing the spillage.toflow into empty containers at a rate that allows only a portion ofthe container to be filled, all of the spillage is carried away. I

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS of the conveyor belt 22. These railsprovide lateral support for containers C which rest on the conveyor beltandare conveyed in the direction of arrow 42. Open ends of thecontainers face upward to receive the particulate product with which thecontainers are filled.

Positioned along one side of the conveyor belt 22 is a vibratory feeder48 (FIG. 1) which is fed by a supply hopper 50. This feeder is the mainfillingstation w'herebycontainers are filled with a particulate productand downstream therefrom is a product packer 52 (FIG. 2) that compactsthe product within the containers. Downstream from the product packer isa second vibratory feeder 54 that is fed by a supply hopper 56. Thesecond vibratoryfeeder fills the top portions of the containers C afterthe product has been compacted by the product packer.

A shaker section 58 is positioned downstream from the I second vibratoryfeeder 54, as shown in IF IG. 2, and guide rails 60 of the shakersection are separated from guide rails 44. The guide rails 60 are tiltedslightly from vertical, as shown in FIG. 4, so that the open end 0 ofthe container C is inclined to a horizontal line 61 and the guide railsare connected by arms 62 to a shaking lever 64. The shaking lever isfixed to a pivot shaft 66 that is oscillated by a crank arm 68 and a camrod 70 extends downward from the crank arm to rest upon a cam 72. Thecam is keyed on a shaft 74 together with a driven sprocket 76 and adrive sprocket 78 is mounted on shaft 32. A drive chain 80 connects thesprocket .wheels thus enabling the shaker section to be driven with theconveyor drive.

An idler roller 82 (FIG. 1) is rotatably mounted from the framework 12at a location upstream fro-m vibratory feeder 48 and beneath the supportrollers 24. A drive roller 84 (FIG. 2) is mounted on shaft 74 and anendless conveyor belt 86 is trained about these rollers. The upper runof conveyor belt 86 travels in an upstream direction, as indicated byarrow 88, and a trough 90 is positioned about the upper runs of conveyorbelts '86 and 22. Spillage from containers C falls into the trough whereit is collected on conveyor belt86 and then carried upstream.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of con- I .tainerfilling apparatus embodying thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF TI-IEPREFERRED EMBODIMENT dards and an endless conveyorbelt 22 is trained aboutthe pulleys and idler wheels. A multiplicity ofsupportrollers 24 are positioned at narrow intervals along the .upperlength of framework to support the upper run of the endless conveyor'belt.

Drive pulley 16 which drives the conveyor belt 22'is keyed tota shaft26, shown in FIG. 2, and a spur gear 28.is mounted on the same shaft.Drive gear meshes with the spur gear and is keyed to a shaft 32 uponwhich a driven sprocket 34 is fixed. A drive sprocket 36 is mountedonjthe drive shaft 38 of an electric motor 39 and a drive chain 40 istrained about the sprockets. Upon rotation of the drive sprocket, thedrive chain turns the driven sprocketand drive gear which rotates thespur gear and drive pulley. Rotation ofthe drive pulley causes-the upperrun of conveyor belt 22 to move in the direction of arrow 42.

Guide rails 44 are supported by arms 46 (FIGS. 1 and 3) that extendupward from the framework 12 on opposite sides Beneath roller 82 at theupstream end of conveyor belt 86 (FIG. 2) is a feed control system 92that continuously weighs the spillage returned and regulates the rate offlow from feeders 48 and 54 in response to the spillage returned. Thissystem includes a constant speed-weighing belt 94 that is mounted on oneside of a scale arm 96 while on the opposite sideof the arm is anelectrical contact 98 and a weight 99 for balancing the arm to obtain adesired rate of feed. Spaced on opposite sides of the electrical contactare an upper contact 100 for reducing the rate of feed and a lowercontact-102 that increases the rate of feed. These contacts areconnected to a control box l04that has manual control knobs 105 and 107for regulating the feed rate independently of the scale arm. The controlbox is supplied with AC powerthroughcable1106 and a lead cable 108connects the control box with the controls of vibratory feeders 48 and54. Controlsystems suchas described are known as belt-weighing controlsystems and are standard commercial items so no further description isconsiderednecessary. The Syntron Division of FMC. Corporation at HomerCity, Penn. manufactures such control systems.

Spillage returned by the constant speed-weighing help-94 drops into arotary elevator 1 10 that is located upstream from feeder 48. Thisrotary elevator is provided with a stationary structure that includesend plates 112 and-l 14' between which circular segments 116 and118extend. An opening l20 is provided between the circular segments atthebottom portion thereof, while at the top portion an opening 122isprovided with a funnel 123 suspended therefrom to direct spillageintothe open ends 0 of containers C. A cylindrical drum 124 having radialpockets 126 is fitted about the circular segments and is rotatablysupported on rollers 128 and 130. These rollers are mounted on shafts132 and 134, respectively, and roller is driven by a drive chain 136that is trained about a sprocket 137 on shaft 134 and a drive sprocket138 that is mountedon the drive shaft of an electric motor 139.

proximately 80 percent of container volume and then the containers moveto the secondary vibratory feeder 54 where they are again filled to thetop. As the containers move further downstream, they move onto theshaker section 58 where they are tilted slightly to the horizontal andvibrated between the guide rails 60. Excess particulate product fallsover the lower edge of the tilted container and spillage dropping fromthe containers at both vibratory feeders, product packer and shaker iscollected within the trough 90 on the upper run of conveyor belt 86.

Conveyor belt 86 carries the spillage upstream and drops the spillage onthe constant speedweighing belt 94 that is balanced on one side of thescale arm 96. If the spillage returned by the conveyor belt is within aset limit, the scale arm will remain balanced and be conveyed into therotary elevator 110. Should the spillage exceed the set limit, the scalearm will tilt causing the electrical contact 98 to make contact with theupper contact 100. This closes a circuit and reduces the rate of feed tovibratory feeders 48 and 54. As in the previous case, the spillage isconveyed into the rotary conveyor where it is collected in the radialpockets 126 and carried to the top opening 122. Here the spillage dropsinto funnel 123 and is redirected towards the open ends of emptycontainers passing under the funnel. The rate at which the spillage isfed to the containers is insufficient to fill a container before it iscarried out of range of the funnel. Thus, the spillage does not overflowa second time and is carried away in the bottoms of the containers.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. and 6 as acontainer-filling apparatus 140 of the rotary cylinder type. A basemember 141 holds a pair of rollers 142 and 143 that rotatably supportone end of a cylindrical shell 144. The opposite end of the shell issupported by a base g the shell. Theintermediate ring separates theshell interior into a main filling compartment 150 and aspillage-filling compartment 151. Extending longitudinally of the shellare a plurality of flanges 152 that project inward at an acuteangle withthe inner surface of the shell and form pockets between the rings.

A support member 153 is positioned opposite one end of the cylindricalshell 144 while a similar support member 154 is positioned opposite theother end. A drive roller 155 is keyed to a drive shaft 156 that is heldin place by the support member 153 and a driven roller l57 is keyed to ashaft 158 that is held in place'by the support member 154. An endlessconveyor belt 159 is trained about the drive and driven rollers forcarrying containers C through the cylindrical shell in the direction ofarrow 160. Tension in the conveyor belt is adjusted by an idler roller161 at support member 153 and an idler roller 162 at support member 154.

Positioned over conveyor belt 159 and the line of containers C is anelongated bottomless trough 163 supported at one end by leg 164 and atthe opposite end by leg 165. A divider plate 166 is fitted within thetrough at a location opposite the intermediate ring 148 in thecylindrical shell 144 through which the trough extends. This dividerplate separates the trough into a spillage funnel 167 and a main fillingfunnel 168, that direct a particulate material to flow towards the openend 0 of each container that passes below.

A stand 169 is positioned adjacent support member 153 and supports amotor 170. The motor is provided with an eccentric drive connection towhich one end of a connecting rod 171 is coupled. The other end of theconnecting rod is attached to a feeder tray 172 that extends into thecylindrical shell 144 to the main filling compartment 150. The end ofthe feeder tray within the cylindrical shell is slidably supported on abracket 173 extending outward from the trough 163. Thus, it will be seenthat movement of the connecting rod causes the feeder tray to vibrateand thereby convey a particulate product along the tray. A hopper 174 ismounted at the end of the feeder tray extending outside of thecylindrical shell and supplies the particulate product for fillingcontainers.

A motor 175 is located at the end of the cylindrical shell 144 adjacentsupport member 154 and is provided with an eccentric drive connection towhich one end of a connecting rod 176 is coupled. The other end of theconnecting rod is attached to a feeder tray 177 that extends into thecylindrical shell to the spillage-filling compartment 151. The end ofthe feeder tray within the spillage-filling compartment is suspended bycables 178 and 179 from the trough 163 and is thus free to vibrate. Thefeeder tray is positioned directly below conveyor belt 159 to receivespillage from containers C v and convey the spillage upstream into thespillage-filling compartment.

Operation of the modified form of invention begins with conveying a lineof containers C on conveyor belt 159 in the direction of arrow 160.Particulate product is fed from hopper 174 through feeder tray 172 tothe main filling compartment 150. There the product falls to the bottomof the cylindrical shell 144 and is collected in the pockets formed byflanges 152. Rotation of the cylindrical shell elevates the particulateproduct until it spills over the flange into the main filling funnel168. Here the product is directed towards the open end of each containerthat passes beneath the funnel. Spillage from the containers iscollected on feeder tray 177 and conveyed upstream to spillage-fillingcompartment 151. There the spillage drops into the cylindrical shell andis collected in the pockets formed by the flanges. Rotation of thecylindrical shell elevates the spillage until it spills into thespillage funnel 167. There it is redirected towards the open ends ofempty containers.

Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the presentinvention has herein been shown and described, it will be apparent thatmodification and variation may be made without departing from what isregarded to be the subject matter of the invention as set forth in theappended claims.

Having completed a detailed description of the invention so that thoseskilled in the art could practice the same,

lclaim:

1. A method of filling containers open at one end with a particulateproduct comprising the steps of: conveying the containers past a fillingstation; directing the particulate product to flow towards the open endof each container that passses the filling station; collecting spillageof the particulate product; conveying the spillage uncommingled withsaid particulate product at said filling station to a point upstreamfrom the filling station, and redirecting the spillage to flow towardtowards the open ends of empty containers at said point upstream fromthe filling station.

2. The method described in claim 1, including the steps of tamping theparticulate product within each container at a station downstream fromthe filling station, directing additional particulate product towardsthe open end of each container at a station downstream from the tampingstation, tilting each container so that the open end thereof is inclinedto the horizontal at a location downstream from the station whereadditional product was directed thereto, shaking each container toremove excess product therefrom, collecting spillage of particulateproduct from the tamping station, additional filling station, andtilting and shaking station, and conveying the spillage collectedtogether with the spillage from the filling station to the pointupstream therefrom where the combined spillage is directed towards theopen ends of empty containers.

3. The method described in claim 1, wherein the containers are conveyedat an established rate of speed past the filling station and the pointupstream therefrom, the spillage is redirected towards the emptycontainers at a flow rate insufficient to fill each container before thecontainer is conveyed out of range of the spillage flow, and theparticulate product is directed to flow towards the partially filledcontainers at a flow rate sufficient to fill the remainder of eachcontainer as it passes the filling station. g

4. The method described in claim 3, including the step of decreasing theflow rate of particulate product towards the containers at the fillingstation in proportion to an increase in the flow rate of spillagetowards the empty containers.

5. Apparatus for filling containers open at one end with a particulateproduct, said apparatus comprising: means for moving said containersalong a fixed path from an upstream position to a downstream position;filling means positioned along said fixed path for directing theparticulate product to flow towards the open end of each container thatpasses the filling means; means for collecting spillage of theparticulate product along the fixed path; conveyor means for moving saidspillage uncommingled with said particulate product at said fillingmeans to a point upstream from the filling means, and means forredirecting the spillage to flow towards the open ends of emptycontainers at said point upstream from the filling means. I

6. Apparatus as described in claim 5, including a feed control systemthat continuously weighs spillage and regulates the rate of flow fromthe filling means in response to the spillage weight.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 5. wherein said filling meansincludes a first portion of a cylindrical drum type filler and the meansfor redirecting spillage includes a second portion of the cylindricaldrum-type filler located upstream of the container moving means from thefirst portion.

1. A method of filling containers open at one end with a particulateproduct compriSing the steps of: conveying the containers past a fillingstation; directing the particulate product to flow towards the open endof each container that passses the filling station; collecting spillageof the particulate product; conveying the spillage uncommingled withsaid particulate product at said filling station to a point upstreamfrom the filling station, and redirecting the spillage to flow towardtowards the open ends of empty containers at said point upstream fromthe filling station.
 2. The method described in claim 1, including thesteps of tamping the particulate product within each container at astation downstream from the filling station, directing additionalparticulate product towards the open end of each container at a stationdownstream from the tamping station, tilting each container so that theopen end thereof is inclined to the horizontal at a location downstreamfrom the station where additional product was directed thereto, shakingeach container to remove excess product therefrom, collecting spillageof particulate product from the tamping station, additional fillingstation, and tilting and shaking station, and conveying the spillagecollected together with the spillage from the filling station to thepoint upstream therefrom where the combined spillage is directed towardsthe open ends of empty containers.
 3. The method described in claim 1,wherein the containers are conveyed at an established rate of speed pastthe filling station and the point upstream therefrom, the spillage isredirected towards the empty containers at a flow rate insufficient tofill each container before the container is conveyed out of range of thespillage flow, and the particulate product is directed to flow towardsthe partially filled containers at a flow rate sufficient to fill theremainder of each container as it passes the filling station.
 4. Themethod described in claim 3, including the step of decreasing the flowrate of particulate product towards the containers at the fillingstation in proportion to an increase in the flow rate of spillagetowards the empty containers.
 5. Apparatus for filling containers openat one end with a particulate product, said apparatus comprising: meansfor moving said containers along a fixed path from an upstream positionto a downstream position; filling means positioned along said fixed pathfor directing the particulate product to flow towards the open end ofeach container that passes the filling means; means for collectingspillage of the particulate product along the fixed path; conveyor meansfor moving said spillage uncommingled with said particulate product atsaid filling means to a point upstream from the filling means, and meansfor redirecting the spillage to flow towards the open ends of emptycontainers at said point upstream from the filling means.
 6. Apparatusas described in claim 5, including a feed control system thatcontinuously weighs spillage and regulates the rate of flow from thefilling means in response to the spillage weight.
 7. Apparatus asdescribed in claim 5, wherein said filling means includes a firstportion of a cylindrical drum type filler and the means for redirectingspillage includes a second portion of the cylindrical drum-type fillerlocated upstream of the container moving means from the first portion.